Fluid velocity governor



Feb. 22, 1949. H. T. SNELL FLUID VELOCITY GOVERNOR Filed April 10, 1946 INVENTOR. ffarozcz T Sneli Patented Feb. 22, 1949 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE FLUID VELOCITY GOVERNOR Harold T. Snell, El Paso, Tex.

Application April 10, 1946, Serial No. 661,150

4 Claims. 1

The present invention relates to a device which is designed and adapted to govern or control the flow of gaseous fuel mixture to an internal cornbustion engine.

The principal object of the invention is the provision of a device of the indicated character which is operated by suction of the engine and in accordance with the amount of the air and fuel mixture flowing through the device from a carburetor to the engine as determined by the acceleration, pulling and power demands of the engine.

A further object is the provision of a device of the indicated character which enables adjustments for varying the volume of the fuel mixture according to the horsepower Of the engine, and which is also of simple, effectual and substantial design.

With the foregoing, other objects of the invention will appear when the following specification is read in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, in which Fig. l is a side view showing the governor of the present invention connected in operative position between the down flow fuel mixture outlet of a carburetor and an intake manifold of an internal combustion engine, one part being removed and another part being in section to show certain features.

Fig. 2 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a sectional view taken on the line 3-4; of Fig. 2.

Referring now more particularly to the drawing, it will be apparent the device includes a hollow open-ended body ll! rectangular in transverse section and thus providing a flow passage I l. The body I!) has flanges i2 so that the device may be secured by bolts 13 in an operative position between the flanged down-flow fuel mixture outlet 2 of a conventional carburetor and a conventional intake manifold [4, as shown in Fig. 1. The usual throttle butterfly valve member designated I5 is operable in the outlet 2.

Suction responsive valve means is arranged for operation in the passage H. Said means includes a butterfly valve member It having a pivot ll supported by the body l9, and a flapper l8 having a pivot I9 also supported by the body 10. The pivot I? is ofiset slightly with respect to the longitudinal axis of the passage II. The portion 2|] of the valve member l6 extending on one side of the pivot IT is smaller than the portion 2| extending on the opposite side of the pivot [1. When the valve member [6 is in its fully 2 closed position, it is inclined in contact with the apposite side walls of the passage II, as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 3. In the operation of the governor, the valve member 1'6 neverreaches this position. The valve member i6 is shown in full lines in its fully open position. The flapper 18 projects only at one side of :the pivot '19. The pivot 39 is arranged near one wall of the passage ii slightly below the pivot ll.

In order to cause the valve member Hi to move in unison with the flapper l8, suitable motion transmission means is provided within a housing 22 secured to or formed integral with the body l9. Said means comprises an arm 23 .fast on the pivot IT, an arm 24 fast on the pivot [:9, and a link 25 having its opposite ends pivotally connected, as at 2'6 and 2?, respectively, with the arms 23 and 24.

In order to check the closing movement of the flap-per Hi from its fully open position, there is provided a detent consisting of an arm 28 fast on the pivot i9. A roller 29 on the free endof the arm 28 cooperates with a tension spring '30. The spring 36 is bent and formed from a strip of spring metal to provide an attaching portion 35 and a rebent resilient portion 32 in continuation of the portion 3!, said portion '32 having a crimp 33. The spring is arranged within, and its portion 3! is secured to the housing 22, as at 35%. A screw 35 carried by the housing acts on the resilient portion 32 to adjust the tension of the spring. This spring-checks the flapper 18 for attaining quick acceleration of the engine to bring it up to the desired speed before coming unto the load.

In order to cause the return movement of the flapper l8 there isprovided-a reaction leaf spring 36 which has one end secured to the housing 22, as at 3?, and its opposite end bears on the'roller 29. The tension of the spring 36 is regulated by means of a, notched abutment 38 carried by a nut 39 threaded on a screw 40 disposed horizontally of the housing 22. One end of the screw 49 is swivelled .in a bearing 4] on the housing interiorly thereof, and the opposite end of the screw projects loosely through the housing and has a knurledknob 42 secured thereto exteriorly of the housing. A spring pressed ball 43 carried by the knob 42 cooperates with a circular series of depressions Ad in the housing to function as a detent to prevent unintentional rotation of the screw 48. A fixed stop 45 on the screw 40 limits the movement of the abutment 38 in the spring releasing direction. A collar 46 on the screw 40 3 cooperates with the knob 42 to prevent axial movement of the screw.

The housing 22 has a removable plate 4! which affords access to the parts within the housing.

Referring now to the valve member [6 and the flapper [8. This flapper is suction responsive and always controls the movement of the valve member l6. The flapper I8 is responsive to any variation of the suction, balancing the velocity suction action against the valve member l3 subject to the action of the spring 36. member l8 controls or regulates the volume or, amount of incoming fuel mixture through the passage II to the intake manifold to the engine cylinders, according to the engine demand for the power output. The engine suction acts on the flapper I8 and draws it laterally and down or inward causing a corresponding closing movement of the butterfly valve member IS. The spring 36 reacts to cause the return or opening movement of the flapper l8 and valve member l6 through the intervention of the parts 29, 28, 24, 25, 23, I9 and [8.

The offsetting of the valve member 3 with its small and large portions 25 and 2!, respectively, checks or stops any tendency of the valve member is to be brought into any balanced position by suction action on the valve member l6 itself. The suction pull is stronger on the large portion 2| tending :always to make the valve member It to come to an open unbalanced position.

The operation of the governor is as follows. When the engine is idling with the throttle valve member in idling position, the flapper i8 and the valve member I6 are checked in their fully open or neutral positions by the springs 30 and 36, due to decreased suction on the flapper I8. As the throttle valve member [5 is opened gradually or suddenly, to accelerate the engine, there is an an increased velocity of the fuel mixture as well as even suction action in the passage II. The added spring tension exerted by the spring 38 on the roller 29 releasably resists the tendency of the flapper l8 to move laterally and down or inward from the fully open position, until the suction induced on the flapper I8 is greater than pressure exerted by the springs 39 and 36, whereupon the spring 30 releases the roller 29 which acts on the spring 36, according to the governing'adjustment of the parts. Thus, the engine may be quickly accelerated, until it is to deliver the governed power demand of the engine. As the flapper I8 is moving from the fully open position by the increased velocity of the fuel mixture with corresponding increase of suction and speed of the engine, the valve member I6 is closing. This closing of the valve member 16 increases the velocity of the fuel mixture to the engine to the governed horsepower demand.

From the foregoing, it will be understood the governor of the present invention has a relatively light and critical spring action for full control of the suction without build-up and full control of the fuel mixture to the engine for accelerating, pulling and the power demands of the engine. It also enables a full range of adjustments from the lowest to the highest governed speeds.

I claim:

1. In a device for governing the amount of air The valve I and fuel mixture to an internal combustion engine, a body having a flow passage extending therethrough, a valve member pivotally mounted on said body and having closing and opening movement in said passage, a suction responsive member pivotally mounted on said body and operable in said passage, means connecting said valve member with said suction responsive member so that the former moves in unison with the latter, checking means connected with the suction responsive member to normally retain it in such position that the valve member is in :a fully open position subject to closing movement in response to suction action exceeding a pre-determined degree, said checking means consisting of an arm connected with the suction responsive member, said arm having a roller, and a crimped spring which coacts with said roller, and resilient means which cooper-ates with the checking means to cause the return movement of the suction responsive member and the valve member connected therewith.

2. In a device for governing the amount of air and fuel mixture to an internal combustion engine, a body having a flow passage extending therethrough, a valve member pivotally mounted on said body and having closing and opening movement in said passage, a suction responsive member pivotally mounted on said body and operable in said passage, means connecting said valve member with said suction responsive member so that the former moves in unison with the latter,

checking means connected with the suction responsive member to normally retain it in such position that the valve member is in a fully open position subject to closing movement in response to suction action exceeding a pre-determined degree, and resilient means which cooperates with the checking means to cause the return movement of the suction responsive member and the valve member connected therewith, said checking means consisting of an arm connected withthe suction responsive member, said arm having a roller, and a crimped spring which coacts with said roller, and said resilient means'consisting of a leaf spring bearing on said roller.

3. In a device as set forth in claim 1, and means for regulating the tension of the resilient means.

4. In :a device as set forth in claim 2, an abutment contacting the resilient means, and screw means engaged with said abutment to change the position of the abutment for regulating the tension of said resilient means.

HAROLD T. SNELL.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

